Tractor hitch



June 1 1926. 1,587,416

H. L. REED TRACTOR HITcH Filed April-"12T 1923 y:a sheets-sheet 1 2- /2M :1&0 4210 ,gy o B h/ n /f L] V I 24// E 2/ l 23 2 //l 2,0 I II 'I l fhl k ev 32,

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H. L. REED TRACTOR HITCH Filed April 12, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented.inne l, i926.

"tlttlriii STATES PATENT GFFICE.

HAROLD L. REED, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTCUT, ASSG-,OR OF ONE-HALF TO H. S.ALLES, OF NEW HAVEN, CGNNEC'IICUT.

TRACTOR BITCH.

Application filed April 12, 1923. Serial No. 631,658.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterabove mentioned which enables the hitching of tractor to a load to bemoved in such a way that in the event of an excessive strain tending tocause the tractor to rear, as is common, the clutch of the tractor willbe immediately released and automatically restored to operative positionon the removal of the obstruction or backing up of the tractor. lt is afurther purpose to provide means for automatically disconnecting thetractor clutch in the event of the latter-s rearing from causes otherthan an excessive lcad or obstruction to the movement of the latter.

'W ith these objects in view the invention consists in a constructionand combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein `lligure 1 is a side elevational viewshowing the application of the invention and ilm lustrating so much of atractor as is necessary to a complete understanding` of the op erationof the device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the invention.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a central vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Figure8.

Figure 5 is a sectional view talren on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

The invention contemplates the employment of a base casting 1 bolted orotherwise suitably secured to the tractor 2, an intermediate casting 8having a pivotal connection with the base casting 1, and a draft casting4: having a pivotal connection with the intermediate casting. .The basecasting is formed with a rearwardly extending lug which is swiveled bythe terminal lugs 3 of the intern'iediate casting 2, both the lugs 5 and6 being formed with aligned bores for the reception of the pin 7. Thelugs G on the intermediate casting are opened on their upper edges asindicated at 8 and the lug 5 similarly opened as indicated at 9 whichprovides respectively the shoulders 10 and 11 on the base andintermediate casting which limit their relative pivotal movement in onedirection, the rounded corners permitting pivot-al movement in the otherdirection. The normal positions of the base casting and intermediatecasting bring the shoulders 10 and 11 into abutting relation andprecludes pivotal movement of the inter mediate casting in a directionto move the upstanding arm 12 in a direction away from the tractor onwhich the device is attached but will permit movement of the castings sothat the arm may move toward the traictor and thus impart movement tothe push rod 13 of which one terminal is pivotally connected to' the arm12. The push rod 13 is the means of connection between the arm 12 and abell-crank lever 11i pivotally mount ed on the tractor frame andconnected by means of a chain or other flexible member 15 with theclutch pedal 16 of the tractor. Obviously forward movement of the pushrod will rock the bell-crank lever in such a direction as to depress thearm connected with the chain and cause a depression of the clutch lever16 to open the tractor clutch. In the event of the tractor rearing fromsome cause such as an obstruction encountered by one of its drivingwheels, the tendency is to rock the base casting, notwithstandingrearing movement, relative to the intermediate casting which is theequivalent of movement of the intermediate casting to rock the arm 12towards the tractor, thus imparting the pushing movement to the rods 13necessary to release the tractor clutch.

The relative movement of the base and intermediate castings is effectedwith the pin 7 as a pivot.

The invention is also designed to actuate the clutch pedal 16 to releasethe clutch on the application of an excessive load or an obstruction tothe movement of the load to the tractor and to this end the draftcasting 4 is pivotally connected with the intermediate casting, thelatter being provided with depending ears 17 and corresponding ears 18formed on the draft casting, a pivot pin 19 passing through the ears 17and 18 The draft casting is provided with a plurality of eyes 2O for theattachment of chains or other draft appliances and it will be obviousfrom the drawings that if no other connection than the pin 19 existsbetween the draftand intermediate castings,

a pull on the former will be transferred to the pin 19 and from it tothe intermediate lill) fil Lit)

casting with the result that the latter may be rocked on the pin T as apivot and eli'ectswinging movement of the arm l2 toward the tractor witha resultant push on the rod 123 and the release of the clutch. The draftand intermediate castings are cesigned to be releasably connected,however, in the plane of the body portion of the latter and to this endthe latch members 2l are pivot-ally mounted by means of cap screws 22 onopposite sides of the draft casting, the depending noses of the latchmembers dropping into engagen'ient by gravity with noses 2li of pawlswhich are pivotally secured by means of cap screws 26 with theintermediate casting. Since the pawls are pivotally mounted, it isnecessary to yieldingly restrain them if the latch members are to bereleased to permit swinging movement of the draft casting with referenceto the intermediate casting and to this end there are provided the eyebolts Q7, the eyes of which are engaged by the cap screws 22 securing tllatch members 2l to the draft casting. The Shanks of the eye bolts passdiametrically through appropriate openings in the extremity of the pin 7and project forwardly of the base casting l and are straddled forwardlyof the pin 7 by the lower extremities of the pawls 25, which are forkedor bifurcated as indicated at 28. Compression springs 2S) surround theshanks of the eye bolts and bear one end against washers abutting thebifurcated portions of the pawls 25 and the other end againstcorresponding washers 3l against which are seated adjusting nuts 32threaded on the extremities of the eye bolts.

In the normal position of the parts, when the tractor is moving itsload, the latch members 21 have their nosesQS in engagement with thenoses 2li. ot the pawls 25 and this engagement 'obtains as long` as theload on the tractor does not exceed a force sutiicient to compresssprings 29. in the event of the load exceeding the point determined uponby the adjustment of the springs 29 through the nuts the pull on thedraft casting is communicated through'the latches 2l to the pawls 27 andthe latter are rocked on their pivotal connections, con'ipressing theslpn'ings Q9, until a position is reached where the noses 23 aredisengaged from the nose 24 and the draft casting may rock on the pin 19as a pivot, thus communieating rocking movement to the intermediatecasting` to move the arm l2 forwardly and effect release of the clutchas above described. l`hereupon, of course.y the tractor will stop andthe obstruction interfering with the movement of the load may be removedafter which backing of the tractor b v throwing in the reverse willpermit the sprin 25) to draw the draft casting back tol its normalposition, when the rounded portions 33 of the noses Q3 of the latchmembers 2l will slide over the inclined portion 3st of the nose 24 ofthe pawls 25 and thus etiect reengagement of the latch memlzcrs andpawls.

ln order to maintain the base and intermediate castings in the relativepositions where their respective shoulders l0 and 1l will be in abuttingrelation, a spring is provided and tensioned between the pin 19 and apin on the base casting. The application of this spring makes itunnecessary to rely on gravity to return the intermediate casting tonormal position after having operated the push rod to release thetractor clutch. i f

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is l.A tractor hitch comprising` base, intermediate and draft castings, apivot pin connecting the main and intermediate castings, a pivot pinconnecting the intermediate and draft castings and eccentric to thefirst said pin, latch members carried by the draft casting, pivotalpawls carried by the intermediate casting and engaged by the latchmembers, and spring actuated connections between the draft andintermediate castings and pawls.

2. A tractor hitch comprising a base casting, an intermediate castinghaving a pivotal connection with the base casting, a draft castinglhavingl a pivotal connection with the intermediate casting eccentric tothe iirst said pivotal connection, latch members carried by the draftcasting, pivotal pawls carried by the intermediate casting, and springsbearing upon the pawls to yieldinply preclude pivotal movement of thelatter, said springs being operatively connected with the draft casting.

A. tractor hitch comprising a base casting, an intcrn'iediate casting, apin pivotally connecting the main and intermediate castings to providefor relative pivotal movement between the latter, a draft casting, a pinpivotally connecting the draft and intermediate castings eccentric tothe first said pivot point, pivotal latch members carried by the draftcasting, pivotal pawls carried b v the intermediate casting and engagedby said latch membersy eye bars connected with the draft casting, andsprings encircling the eye bars and bearing against said pivotal pawlsto yieldingly maintain them in a position for engagement with said latchmembers.

4f. A tractor hitch comprising a base casting, au intermediate casting,apivot pin pivotally connecting the base and intermediate castings, adraft casting having a pivotal connection with the intermediate castingeccentric of said pin, latch members pivotally mountedion theintermediate casting, eyel bars having? terminal pivotal conllO nectionsWiththe draft casting and passing siidabiy through eyes formed in theeX- tremities of said pin, pawls pivotaily mountetl on the intermediatecasting and having bifurcated extremities straddling said eye bars andnoses for engagement With said .latch members, und compression springsin surrounding relation t0 the eye bars and bearing upon the bifurcatedextremities of the pawls. Y

In testimony whereof he aiixes his signature.

HAROLD L. REED.

